The Pakistani Spectator

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?
I am a mother of two boys, a 21-month-old toddler and a 4-month-old baby. I am working as an analyst of some sort in a Filipino-owned international company. I started blogging at mid 2004 on a free hosted blog site, and early this year, I started a new hosted blog with a custom domain. My old site used to express my views on preparing my wedding, then pregnancy, and mostly about my life as a career woman. My new blog is themed on motherhood and my views on things as a wife and a mother.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?

Yes, I do feel that I grow personally with my writing. Before my job as an analyst, I was a copywriter for the same company. I have written for various magazines and newspapers here in the Philippines. Writing comes naturally to me and it has become my solace. Whatever emotion I feel, I feel them better when I write about them. Whatever issue I think about, I think about them more clearly when I write about them.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

Since I have kept my old blog’s popularity to a minimum, only to people I know, and since I have just started “promoting” my new blog to online communities, I haven’t had a significat memorable experience yet. Does being found by spam sites count?

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

I do my best to visit the blogs and sites of my friends - offline and online - regularly. That is one way I keep in touch with them. I leave comments on their posts, and whenever they do the same on mine, I try my best to reply to make them feel more involved in my site. I also try and go through the blog listings on my online communities and check out blogs of people I don’t know.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?

Governement officials and politicians are getting their message across to more people. They know that a lot of their office-bound constituents don’t have time anymore to watch news on television, or read newspapers. But these people are glued to their computers at work and are connected to the internet. Although it is frowned upon, many office workers use the internet to find out more about the happenings in the country and surf the net leisurely. The government offices also have their own websites and email addresses where people can go to whenever they need information about certain government services but don’t have time to visit that department’s physical office.

Another thing is, offering online services such as acquisition of certain important documents, like birth certificates, has been a big help to those who cannot go and get these documents personally at government offices. These online services save the people a lot of time and energy.

Additionally, many politicians use the power of internet, specifically email, to spread their messages. If they feels strongly about an issue, they can just email their friends and associates, and these people are sure to forward these messages to almost everyone in their address book.

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?

In some ways, yes. People in country are mostly expressive, they do speak their mind whenever they get the chance. However, many prefer to keep silent because we used to need to exert a lot of effort before we can be heard. These new technologies have given us a means of being heard even while staying in the comfort of our own homes or offices. It is now easier for us, and faster too, to be heard.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

My views and opinion. There are countless blogs out there maintained by women like me - juggling work with caring for the family. But I strongly believe that each and everyone has their own views of things, largely influenced not only of who they are now, but who they were in the past and who they want to become on the future.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

Humorous. I have weathered a lot of challenges in life using laughter and humor. Because of my ability to stay happy and ready to smile amidst the hardest trials I’ve been through, I was able to forge lasting personal and busness relationships. I already consider myself successful in life because I feel that I have lived my life in a way that I can look back and find something to smile about in every hardship I’ve faced.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

The happiest is when I came to accept that I am just a mortal creature who is bound to make mistakes. I used to be ashamed of the things I’ve done wrong in the past, but then I realized that although I could have done things in a better way, my wrong decisions made me the strong person I am today. It is a very humbling experience, actually. But I am truly happy that I have finally accepted who I truly am. And that happened just recently, several weeks after I gave birth to my baby last April.

Gloomiest? I can’t specify one, because I’ve always been able to get up after each fall. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason, that’s why everytime something bad happens, I don’t sulk too much, I don’t feel bad too much, because deep inside I knew (or I hoped) that something better is in store for me.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

First stop, Japan. Then, France. I have always been fascinated by the culture of those two countries and I would like to experience them first-hand. My next choice would be the United States. That country has a very complex culture, and I hope I can at least have a glimpse of it.

What is your favorite book and why?

Double Cross: The Explosive, Inside Story of the Mobster Who Controlled America. At one point in my life, I was fascinated by how organized crime groups operate. This book was about how a particular Mafia godfather rose to power. It was interesting how government officials as high up as presidents and leaders of different countries, including the Philippines, could be involved in such activities. I’m not saying I believing everything they disclosed in the book, but honestly, it was amazing how they narrated their thoughts and how great the writing was.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

Physically, I am drawn to a person’s eyes. I find these so-called windows of the soul so mysterious yet expressive. You can tell so much about somebody’s personality by looking at his/her eyes.

Personality-wise, I am drawn to people with unbelievable sense of humor. Like I said, there is something about humor and laughter that makes me appreciate the little things in life. And in this time that there are a lot of stuff happening that can make one depressed, finding a reason to be happy or even smile is a gift.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?

Yes. He didn’t not say it in my face that, “Hey, you can’t write.” In not so many words, he told me that I am not good enough and that my writing style sucks. Ouch.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

There are a lot of ways to earn from a blog. There’s Google Ads, pay per post or review, affiliate programs. The key is keeping in mind your target readers and write something that would interest them. High-traffic blogs are still the highest earning sites today, I believe.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?

Not entirely. You just need to update several times a week to keep your readers coming back. Most importantly, it’s not the number of your blog posts that make a blog successful, but the quality.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?

Write about the good stuff. A lot of people blog about their bad experiences or bad happenings around their area, but only a handful bloogers write about the little things that we should eb thankful for. The man who offered you his seat at a public bus, a teenage boy saying sorry after he accidentally bumped you, kind officemates, considerate bosses. These are the little things that make a difference in our lives. You don’t need something big to happen and you don’t need to look very far to promote peace and friendship. We should start with our own selves. If people read more and more pleasant blog entries, this would create a feeling that no matter how chaotic the world may be, peace still exists.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

Hmmn. Lemme see. My close friends who run the site Anime, Babes, and Gaming by Kiven (http://codamon.com/) and Girls, Games, Gadgets | Philippines MMORPG and more (http://gmtristan.com/). Among my interests is gaming, and I find these sites very informative. Being among the top blog earners in the country is beside the point. Another blog that I often visit is MommyDaddyBlog.com. It is a blog maintained by a couple who “chronicle their adventure through parenthood.” I just love their manner of writing, very light and humorous, yet informative. Another favorite is the blog of an online friend, who is also a mom with two kids. Mommy Talks. Wife Stories (http://www.mbaviso.com/aggie/) is a very amusing read. Lastly, the blog of another very close friend, Antonio Buena, PMP (http://antoniobuena.com/) is full of very useful tricks and tips on computer literacy and being organized at work.

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

I wrote this post about a six-year-old girl from UK who has a very angelic voice. My post was basically about how her parents didn’t “commercialize” her at this particular singing competition and kept her appearance simple as a child should be. The child’s performance was simple, too, yet captivating. It has been posted and linked on other blogs too, the reception was overwhelming.

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?

From what I have heard and seen on the news, Pakistan has gone through a lot of adversities as a nation. There has been a lot of political struggle. At first glance, it seems that Pakistan will fall apart soon, but if one really thinks about it, Pakistan is one strong country. There has been disorder and confusion for ages, but the Pakistani people are still fighting for their rights as citizens of a civilized nation. The country still stands. I stringly believe that the time will come that the people in your country will come to know freedom and peace as lasting experience and not just a thing of idealism.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

So far, not yet. But you also have to put into consideration that I have only started checking out blogs of people I don don’t know.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?

One is the benefits the citizens get from their government. I’ve heard about certain countries offering 100% free medical benefits. Now that something third-world countries need, but don’t have - medical support from the government.

What is the future of blogging?

As the new media, it has been influencing a lot of people and societies. In the future, its power will be more overwhelming to the point that people will be depending on them for news not just in their own countries, but more importantly, in parts of the world that are very much exposed to the media, but have a lot of interesting things to offer.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

I try my best to keep my blog personal and avoid posting my thoughts about issues in my company. When I can’t help myself, I try to generalize and not specify that it actually happened in my workplace.

Through my blog, I am still able to update my relatives and friends who have migrated to other countries about the recent events in my life. It’s a great and easy way to keep everyone in touch.

What are your future plans?

I plan to put up my own business so I can have more control of my time. This way, I can spend more time with my kids and have a more hands-on approach in raising them without sacrifing our means of living.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

I am hoping that I could help your people by giving them something else to think about. If you feel like you’re tired of thinking about the state of your country or your life, please feel free to visit my blog at http://mommyontop.com. Everyone could use a laugh at one point or the other. And that goes to everyone who reads TPS, not just the Pakistani people.